Storm warning systems, particularly those which monitor the electrical discharge activity attendant to the storms, employ various types of direction finding and/or range finding equipment. Typically, the systems are designed to be responsive to the characteristics of the lightning stroke and to generate an indication of the occurrence of a stroke and the direction or position from which the stroke originated. Examples of such systems which seek to provide position information may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,115,732 and 4,245,190 to Krider et al; 4,023,408 to Ryan et al; 3,369,240 to Leary; 3,754,263 to Wojtasinski et al; 2,684,474 to Kass; and 3,886,553 to Bates.
Other types of systems seek principally to determine the direction or bearing of the discharge. Examples of these types of systems may be found in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,759,938 to Dean; 3,603,951 to Bracken et al; 4,236,159 to Alpers; 4,210,913 to Newhouse et al; and 4,198,599 to Krider et al.
Within such systems and other configurations for detecting impending storms or determining the occurrence of lightning strokes, there are various subsystems which are principally lightning detectors. Examples of such detectors may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,891,919 to Penninger; 3,753,117 to Downing et al; 4,095,221 to Slocum; and 3,790,884 to Cohl.
For the most part, the systems described in the above literature provide either simply a warning or an indication of direction of the storm. Where an attempt is made to provide position information, the system operates to provide only a gross or coarse approximation of the position of occurrence of the lightning discharge.
With currently increasing population densities and complex air traffic patterns, particularly in the very regions of increasing population density, the need for highly accurate storm warning capability has become paramount. This is especially true with respect to thunderstorm activity wherein there is a need to provide a warning for a number of diverse interests. These include advance warning information to flying aircraft of storm situations and intensities, the alerting of aircraft refueling crews of possible damage, enabling protective measures to be taken in industries handling toxic and particularly cryogenic materials, alerting power companies, locating possible forest fires that may be generated by lightning, and protecting personnel in open areas, such as golf courses, marinas, etc.